Mr Haqqani immediately “initiated legal proceedings against The Nation newspaper of Pakistan, for calling him an American agent and saying he is a fugitive under the Pakistan law. According to a statement from Mr. Haqqani, his lawyer Yasser Latif Hamdani has sent a legal notice to The Nation asking for an apology and retraction of an offending article. Failing this, Mr. Hamdani “would start legal proceedings not only in Pakistan but also in the U.K. and other jurisdictions where the newspaper’s online edition is read, seeking damages to the tune of Pakistan Rupees 15 billion [$95 million]”, Mr. Haqqani’s statement read. Mr. Hamdani’s notice said that Mr. Haqqani “has always endeavoured lawfully and constitutionally to uphold democracy and civilian supremacy in Pakistan and that contrary to propaganda he had not been found guilty of any crime in any court of law”, as per the statement.”

By this morning The Nation had taken down the article from its website.